Sunday, November 17, 2013

Missed Opportunity


This is one of those things, when a friend asks you to do some character design work. The funding for an animate feature would just be around the corner, blah, blah , blah.
I actually thought the script had potential, so I came up with character designs for this new Arabian Nights Fairy Tale.There were Witches, a prince, a princess and a variety of animals.
I did enjoyed working on the character concepts until I was told that funding for the originally highly budgeted film had been pulled.

Still, I enjoyed creating  these character concepts, and I still believe this could be a great hand drawn animated feature.










The temporary panther design was influenced by Bagheera from the the magnificent Russian animated film The Jungle Book, directed by Roman Davydov. It is available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Jungle-Book-Original-Classic/dp/B000O75GY4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_mov_1 



36 comments:

  1. WOW! I'm particularly impress by the way you show the feline nature in your shapes and the "conflict" betweet the blue and the black in your panther has a very inspiring abstract power, I love it.
    I'm a huge fan of your work since ages.

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  2. Its a shame these drawings could never be used in the film, but at least they can still be used to inspire others interested in animation or character design. I do have one question though: Was the film going to be made for Disney or another company?

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  3. The panther designs remind me highly of those in Soviet cartoon "Mowgli" (a.k.a Jungle Book from Soyuzmultfilm), I am sure you are familiar with this famous animation, and I have to tell the resemblance is just too obvious, I can't hide that I am very disappointed that even famous and talented artists borrow other's ideas....

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    1. That's exactly where my thoughts immediately went, as well!

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    2. Guys, guys….these were pre-production designs.
      A lot of this would have changed for animation. Ken Anderson was inspired and borrowed from Sullivant, M. Kahl from Ronald Searle etc.

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    4. Gee whiz, Mr. Deja! Ken Anderson, T.S. Sullivant, Milt Kahl, Ronald Searle and Pablo Picasso, so that's where the CalArts style came from. Hallelujah!

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    6. I'm a big fan of your work and your characters are absolutely gorgeous but I watched the jungle book of the Soyuzmultfilm studio and honestly your black panther is a plagiarism, not inspired. She has almost the same design and exactly the same postures...

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    7. Easy, guys... I also grew up with Maugli from Soyuzmultfilm and instantly recognized the panther design, but like Andreas said - this was pre-production. It's visual ideas being bounced around and ALL artists - I repeat, ALL - copy from the best and eventually make it their own. This design just never got to that stage because the project was cancelled.

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    8. If today's artists didn't have other artists to inspire them, then we probably wouldn't have so many artists that we love and inspire us to make our work even greater.
      Andreas, you've defiantly inspired the way I draw especially children the way you animated Lilo was just so adorable. You are also a main reason why I'm gonna' be an animator! Hopefully I'll have my degree soon and maybe studios will work with 2D animation again!

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    9. When TLK was released Japanese and otakus cried that it was rip-off from their beloved Kimba but not many knows that Tezuka's Phoenix's (Hi no Tori) design based on firebird from Soviet "The Humpbacked Horse" and he never concealed it.

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    10. Indeed the phoenix of Hi no Tori is inspired by the humpbacked horse. Tezuka has always claimed his inspirations, especially for Kimba the white lion which is partially inspired by Bambi.

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  4. The design of prince's face is just mindblowing! It has a minimal amount of lines, it perfectly defines the shape and the expression is easy to read, but it's still fairly realistic at the same time. If it was done my Milt Kahl, he'd probably be very proud of it!

    Is there any possibility that these beautiful designs could make to the screen if anybody wanted to produce it? Does Disney still hold the copyright for such unfinished projects?

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  5. Incredible and inspiring arts! This project have a name? When was cancelled?

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  6. Those designs were sensationally look real and I would know this project was cancelled maybe it's because of Aladdin.

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  7. It was nice to meet you in person, Andreas. Thank you for your kind words and being approachable. I look forward to your future posts and endeavors.

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  8. Great drawings thank you for sharing. Like most artists I have numerous times had friends or acquaintances had this great project that you do drawings for as a "favor" Have any of these favors for you been used?

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  9. Amazing drawings! I also like especially that prince´s face drawing and his expresions. What materials you used for drawing and painting these?

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  10. I must say, very hansom male character! Love the nose! he looks like he carries a humble fatherly figure that most likely knows how to handle a sword! haha

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  11. Is this related to Mr. Clements and Mr. Musker's upcoming movie "Moana"? By the way, I adore the way you draw female characters!

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  12. No, this was completely independent from Disney.

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  13. Very nice work Andreas! I was just wandering if you and the rest of the animators can email me some answers to issue #2 of my school's Big Blue News. I'm doing a feature story about the golden years of 2D animation at the Disney studios and I can't get the email address to where you can answer the first time I tried to get the hold of you for the paper. Hopefully if you have time you can reply with the email address added. Just send me a reply at nsimmer01@gmail.com. And it's for the school paper only. Thanks! And Many happy animating "Muska"!

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  14. Such appealing drawings!! The lady with the panther reminds me of Pola Negri in The Moon-Spinners.

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  15. These are such beautiful drawings. Do any of these characters have names?

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  16. Andreas, if this film had been greenlighted and funded, would you have committed to being an animator for the film? Just curious. I'm sure if the film had been made, it would've benefited from your talents!

    By the way, what year were these drawings made?

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    1. The drawings were done last year. I had hoped to co-direct and animate on the film.

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  17. Wonderful drawings Andreas! Would have loved to have seen this film.

    And don't let these snobby jack-offs bother you, I'm guessing they never heard of the concept of "pre-production" before.

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